Surface treating apparatus with turnover device



R. D. RUTT March 24, 1964 v 3,125,834

' SURFACE TREATING APPARATUS WITH TURNOVER DEVICE 4 Sheets-sheaf. 1

Filed May 16, 1962 RICHARD -D. RUTT' BY I %AM ATTORNEY R. D. RUTT March 24, 1964 SURFACE TREATING APPARATUS WITH TURNOVER DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 16, 1962 INVENTOR. RI CHARD D. RUTT ATTORNEY March 24, 1964 R. D. RuTr 3,125,834

SURFACE TREATING APPARATUS WITH T/URNOVER DEVICE Filed May 16, 1962 4, Sheets-Sheet 3 4 lN VENTOR.

RICHARD D. RUTT ATTORNEY March 24, 1964 R. D. RUTT 3,125,834

SURFACE TREATING APPARATUS WITH TURNOVER DEVICE Filed May 16, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Fig. 5

M Fig. 5

INVENTOR. RICHARD D. RUTT ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,125,834 SURFACE TREATING APPARATUS W ITH TURNGVER DEVICE Richard D. Rutt, Wilson, N.Y., assignor to The Carborundum Company, Niagara Falls, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 16, 1962, Ser. No. 195,130 9 Claims. (til. 51-138) This invention relates to apparatus for conveying and inverting elements and more particularly to apparatus for treating a surface of an element, conveying the element and simultaneously inverting the element and thereafter treating a second surface of the element.

In the finishing of elements such as fiat metallic parts or the like, it is necessary at times to grind or polish both the top and bottom surfaces of the element. In the past it has been the practice to polish one surface of the element, manually invert the element and then polish the other surface on the same machine. Manually inverting the elements reduced the rate at which the elements could be polished and involved unnecessary labor. The invention herein disclosed increases substantially the rate at which both the top and bottom surfaces of an element may be polished and reduces the labor required to polish the elements.

Briefly, the invention includes a first surface treating machine, an endless fiat conveyor belt and a second surface treating machine. The surface treating machines are arranged to treat one surface of the element. A fiat endless conveyor belt is arranged to feed the elements to the first surface treating machine, position the elements for surface treatment by the first surface treating machine, convey the elements from the first surface treating machine to the second surface treating machine and simultaneously while conveying the elements invert the elements so that an untreated surface is properly positioned for treatment by the second surface treating machine. The same endless conveyor belt is also arranged to feed the elements to the second surface treating machine, position the elements for surface treatment by the second surface treating machine and to discharge the elements from the second surface treating machine after surface treatment by the second surface treating machine.

The conveying and inverting mechanism includes an endless fiat conveyor belt, a tail pulley, a head pulley, and a pair of turnaround pulleys. The flat endless conveyor belt has two engaged sections moving in a direction from the first surface treating machine to the second surface treating machine. The engaged sections rotate 180 about the longitudinal axis of the belt and are arranged to grip an element therebetween. The element is thus inverted as it is conveyed by the two engaged sections of the conveyor belt.

It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide a single endless fiat conveyor belt that serves as both a conveying device and a turnover device.

Another object of this invention is to provide a combined conveying device and turnover device formed of a single endless fiat conveyor belt which has two engaged sections that rotate 180 about the longitudinal axis of the conveyor belt.

A further object of this invention is to provide apparatus for first treating the top surface of an element on one machine, conveying the element and simultaneously inverting the element and thereafter treating the opposite surface of the element on a second machine.

With the above and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, features of the invention reside in the combination of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment 3,125,834 Patented Mar. 24, 1964 "ice of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of What is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings, to be taken as part of this specification, there is clearly and fully illustrated the invention, in which drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic illustration in side elevation of the combined surface treating apparatus and turnover device.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of an endless flat belt conveyor and turnover device.

FIGURE 3 is a view in front elevation of one of the surface treating machines.

FIGURE 4 is a view in side elevation of the surface treating machine illustrated in FIGURE 3 with a portion of the conveyor belt broken away.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view in section taken along the line 55 of FIGURE 2 illustrating an intermediate support -for the two engaged sections of the conveyor belt.

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 5 taken along the line 6-6 of FIGURE 2 illustrating another intermediate support for the engaged sections of the conveyor belt.

Referring to FIGURE 1, the combined surface treating apparatus and turnover device includes a first surface treating machine generally designated by the numeral 10 and a second surface treating machine generally designated by the numeral 13.2 The surface treating machines 10 and 12 are similar in construction and will be described in detail hereafter. The surface treating machines 10 and 1-2 are arranged to polish or grind a surface of an element .E which will be described for convenience as having a top surface T and a bottom surface B. The surface treating machine In is arranged to treat the top surface T as indicated in FIGURE 1 and surface treating machine 12 is arranged to treat bottom surface B as shown schematically in FIGURE 1. An endless conveyor belt 14 is reefed or threaded sequentially about a tail pulley 16, a second turnaround pulley 1.8, a first turnaround pulley Ztl and a head pulley 22. The conveyor belt 14 in the course of completing one full circuit of the equipment starting with the tail pulley l6 and moving in the direction from right to left, as indicated by the heavy arrows, first acts as an upper conveying reach 24- for supporting the element E with its bottom surface B resting on the belt .1 4, said reach 24- of the belt 14 extending from tail pulley 16 to and beyond turnaround pulley 29. At turnaround puiley 2t) belt 114 is twisted or rotated by the time it reaches the turnaround pulley 18 through a turn about the longitudinal axis so that the surface of belt 14 that is uppermost as the belt passes through the grinding head It) becomes the under surface as the belt reaches turnaround pulley =18, becoming the first reach 218 of two engaging reaches 28 and 30 extending between turn around pulleys I8 and Ztl. Belt 14 reverses direction at pulley I 8 and through reach 32; returns to and passes around pulley 20 to become the second reach 36 which engages with reach 2 3 to grip the element E and hold it while it is being turned over. Belt 14 continues through reach 3-4 from pulley 128 to head pulley 22 where it reverses direction and through return reach 26 returns to tail pulley 16.

The tail pulley 16 and head pulley 2.2 are arranged in substantially parallel relation to each other in substantially the same horizontal plane. The first turnaround pulley 2t and second turnarotmd pulley 13 are arranged in substantially parallel relation to each other and in a second horizontal plane. The second horizontal plane is above the first horizontal plane as illustrated in FIG- URE 1.

The conveying reach 24 moves in a substantially hori- .dinal axis of the belt.

zontal plane between tail pulley 16 and first turnaround pulley 20. The top surface of the conveying reach 24 abuts a portion of the endless conveyor belt extending around first turnaround pulley 2t) and is thus maintained in the predetermined horizontal relation between tail pulley 16 and first turnaround pulley 20.

The section of the conveyor belt conveying reach 24 between tail pulley 16 and first turnaround pulley 26 is arranged to feed elements into operative relation with the first surface treating machine 10. The element is positioned on the conveying reach 24 adjacent tail pulley 16 and moves with the conveying reach 24 into operative relation with first surface treating machine 11 The conveying reach 24 is also arranged to discharge the element from the surface treating machine 16 after the top surface T of element E has been treated in a predetermined manner.

The conveyor belt conveying reach 24 has a section 28 between first turnaround pulley 2t and second turnaround pulley 13 that rotates through 180 about the longitudinal axis of the conveyor belt. The conveyor belt 14 has another section 32 between second turnaround pulley 18 and first turnaround pulley 26 which moves in a direction from second turnaround pulley 18 to first turnaround pulley 20. The endless conveyor belt '14 then extends around first turnaround pulley 2t and a section 30 extends from first turnaround pulley 20 to second turnaround pulley 18. The section 30 moves in a direction from first turnaround pulley 2th to second turnaround pulley 18 and rotates 180 about the longitu- It will be noted that the top surface of engaged sections 28 and 30 are in abutting relation with each other between first turnaround pulley 20 and second turnaround pulley 13. Further, both engaged .sections 28 and 30 while in abutting relation with each other rotate through 180 while moving from first turnaround pulley 20 to second turnaround pulley 18. Thus, an element discharged from first surface treating apparatus 16) is introduced between the engaged sections 23 and 30 and is conveyed between first turnaround pulley 20 to second turnaround pulley 18 by the gripping action of the top surfaces of the conveyor belt engaged sections 28 and 30. FIGURE 1 schematically illustrates several elements positioned between engaged sections 28 and 3t and illustrates the manner in which the element is inverted between first turnaround pulley 2t and second turnaround pulley 18.

After the element has been conveyed from first surface treating machine to second turnaround pulley 18 a section 34 of the conveying reach 24 between second turnaround pulley 18 and head pulley 22 feeds the elements to the second treating machine 12 with the surface B properly positioned for treatment by surface treating machine 12. The section 34 also conveys the article from the second surface treating machine 12 to a suitable receiver. Although not illustrated, a drive means for the conveyor belt includes a means connected to head pulley 22 to rotate the same and propel the conveyor belt 14 therearound. Suitable support means 36 is positioned beneath the conveying reach 24 adjacent to the surface treating machines 11) and 12 to form support means for the element as it is being treated by the respective machines. Thus, with the above described apparatus an element E having an upper surface T and a lower surface B is introduced onto the conveying reach 24 of belt 14 adjacent tail pulley 16 and is discharged from the conveying reach 24 adjacent head pulley 22 with both surfaces T and B being treated without the use of manual means to invert the element and properly position the respective surfaces T and B for surface treatment.

In FIGURES 3 and 4 there is illustrated in detail one of the surface treating machines. The surface treating machine illustrated is a surface grinding machine. It

should be understood, however, that any suitable surface treating machine can be employed.

The surface grinding machine is arranged to treat one surface of the element E. A pair of machines are arranged, as previously described, to treat the top surface T and bottom surface B of the element E. The surface grinding machine 10 has a support frame 38 with a pair of vertical guide rods 40 and 42 arranged in spaced relation to each other. A grinder support 44 is movable vertically on the rods 41 and 42 and its relative position is controlled by a suitable means (not shown). Secured to and extending outwardly from the grinder support 44 is a cylindrical member generally designated by the numeral 46 which is arranged in substantially parallel spaced relation to the guide rods 49 and 42. Telescopically positioned within the cylinder 46 is a cylindrical member 48 which is movable vertically relative to the member 46. The cylindrical member 46 is fixedly secured to the grinder support 44 and movable therewith. Suitably secured to the lower end of member 46 is a roller 50 arranged to rotate about a substantially horizontal axis. Suitably secured to the upper end of cylindrical member 48 is a second roller 52 also arranged to rotate about a substantially horizontal axis. Roller 52 is substantially parallel to roller 50. An endless abrasive belt 54 extends around rollers 50 and 52 and is maintained in tension therebetween by the telescopic movement of cylindrical member 43 in cylindrical member 46. The cylinders 46 and 48, rollers 50 and 52, and belt 54 are movable vertically with grinder support 44 on the rods 40 and 42 to move the abrasive belt 54 into jacks, or equivalent grinding mechanism. The frame 38 has a suitable support means 36 positioned beneath the roller 50 that serves to support the element E thereon. The frame 38 has a plurality of rollers 58, or shoes, or pressure platens, pivotally secured thereto by means of suitable support means 60. The rollers 58 are arranged to maintain the element in proper position beneath the roller 51) as the abrasive belt 54 smooths a given surface of the element E. Suitable control means may also be provided to regulate the rate at which the element E passes beneath the abrasive belt 54 to provide the proper smoothing action for the surface of the element E. Extending laterally from the grinder frame 38 are horizontal roller support means 62. The tail pulley 16, previously described, is rotatably secured in the support means 62. It should be noted that the support means 62' extends a predetermined distance from the grinder frame 38 to provide adequate tracking and tension control to position the element E on the conveyor belt conveying reach 24. On the opposite side of the grinder frame 38 other pulley support means 64 rotatably support an idler pulley 66 in substantially the same horizontal plane as the tail pulley 16. Above the pulley supports 64 other pulley supports 68 extend laterally from the grinder frame 38 and are arranged to support first turnaround pulley 20. The pulley supports 68 include adjustable belt take-up means 70 which may be employed to maintain the conveyor belt 14 in desired tension about the respective rollers. The take-up means 70 is arranged to move the first turnaround pulley toward and away from the grinding machine 10 and in this manner change the distance between the first turnaround pulley 20 and second turnaround pulley 18 to provide the desired tracking in the flat endless conveyor belt 14.

Motors 72 (FIGURE 4) are suitably connected to the rollers 50 and are arranged to rotate the abrasive belts around respective rollers 50 and 52.

FIGURE 2 illustrates a portion of the pulley supports 64 and 68 and also illustrates similar pulley supports 64' and 68' extending from the second grinder 12 (not shown). The first turnaround pulley 20, the second turnaround pulley 18 and the belting therebetween are illustrated in detail in FIGURE 2. The idler pulley 66 is positioned beneath the first turnaround pulley 20 and is arranged to bring the belt sections 28 and 30 into abutting relation with each other adjacent the respective pulleys 20 and 66. There is a similar arrangement wherein an idler pulley 66' is positioned beneath and spaced from second turnaround pulley 18 so that the sections 28 and 30 of conveyor belt 14 are supported by the respective idler pulley 66. Intermediate the first and second turnaround pulleys 20 and 18, the belt sections 28 and 30 are supported by idler rollers 74, 76, 78 and 80. In FIGURES and 6 the manner in which the idler rollers 74 and 76 are maintained in proper relation with belt sections 28 and 30 is illustrated. It should be understood that idler rollers 78 and 80 may be supported in a similar manner and details of the support means for the idler rollers 78 and 80 are not illustrated. With this arrangement the belt sections 28 and 30 rotate 180 about the longitudinal axis of the belt so that material gripped therebetween will also rotate 180, and as the elements are discharged from between belt sections 28 and 30 adjacent second turnaround pulley 18 the element is inverted to position as previously discussed, an untreated surface for treatment by the second grinding machine 12.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, idler roller 74 is rotatably supported in a frame 82 and the under side of belt section 28 abuts the idler roller 74 so that the idler roller supports belt sections 28 and 30. The idler roller support frame 82 is adjustably secured to an arm 84 by a securing mechanism 86. The angular relationship between the frame 82 and arm 84 may be adjusted by means of securing mechanism 86. The arm 84 is secured to an inwardly extending receiver 88 which is a portion of a mounting frame 90. The receiver 88 has a slotted portion 92' and arm 84 is secured to receiver 88 by a securing mechanism 94 such as a nut and bolt arrangement. The securing mechanism 94 permits the longitudinal positioning of the arm 84 in the receiver slotted portion 92 to properly position the idler roller 74 beneath the belt sections 28 and 30. The frame 90 is suitably secured to a connecting means between the two surface grinding machines and 12.

In FIGURE 6 similar supporting means for idler roller 76 is illustrated and similar numerals designate similar parts. In FIGURE 6 the angular displacement of the frame 82 to arm 84 is illustrated and the angular deviation between arm 84 and receiver 88 is illustrated. Idler rollers 78 and 80 may have similar supporting means and are not shown.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, the principle, preferred construction and mode of operation of the invention has been explained, and what is considered to be the best embodiment has been illustrated and described. However, it should be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for treating surfaces of an element comprising a first surface treating machine, a second surface treating machine spaced apart from said first surface treating machine, a conveying device positioned between said first and second surface treating machines, said conveying device having an upper conveying reach and a lower return reach and being operable to convey elements from said first surface treating machine to said second surface treating machine and to invert said elements so that an untreated surface is positioned for treatment by said second surface treating machine, said first and second surface treating machines each comprising an abrasive element positioned above said upper conveying reach of said conveying device, said abrasive element and said conveying device being arranged to abrade a surface of an element positioned between said upper conveying reach and said abrasive element, said conveying device including a fiat endless conveyor belt, a head pulley, a tail pulley and a pair of spaced turnaround pulleys, said endless conveyor belt being threaded around said respective pulleys to form said upper conveying reach and said lower return reach and providing two engaged sections between said pair of spaced turnaround pulleys, said engaged sections of said endless belt moving in the same direction from said tail pulley toward said head pulley, said engaged sections rotating about the longitudinal axis of said belt and said two engaged sections being operable to receive an element therebetween and invert said element for treatment of an untreated surface by said second surface treating machine.

2. Apparatus for treating surfaces of an element as defined in claim 1 in which both of said surface treating machines include an endless abrasive belt having an exterior surface coated with an abrasive material, said endless abrasive belts being positioned above said upper conveying reach of said endless conveyor belt with the longitudinal axis of said abrasive belt being substantially aligned with the longitudinal axis of said conveyor belt and means to rotate said belts to abrade a surface of an element positioned therebeneath.

3. Apparatus for treating surfaces of an element as defined in claim 2 which includes means to move said endless abrasive belt vertically relative to said conveyor belt.

4. Apparatus for treating surfaces of an element as defined in claim 1 in which said pair of turnaround pulleys are positioned between said tail pulley and said head pulley.

5. Apparatus for treating surfaces of an element as defined in claim 1 in which said first surface treating machine is positioned between said tail pulley and said two engaged sections of said endless belt, and said second surface treating machine is positioned between said head pulley and said two engaged sections of said endless belt.

6. Apparatus for treating surfaces of an element as defined in claim 1 in which said tail pulley and said head pulley are positioned in parallel spaced relation to each other in substantially the same first horizontal plane, said pair of spaced turnaround pulleys comprising a first turnaround pulley and a second turnaround pulley, said first and second turnaround pulleys being positioned between said tail pulley and said head pulley in parallel spaced relation to each other and in substantially the same second horizontal plane, said second horizontal plane being above said first horizontal plane.

7. Apparatus for treating surfaces of an element as defined in claim 6 in which said first surface treating machine is positioned between said tail pulley and said first turnaround pulley and said second surface treating machine is positioned between said head pulley and said second turnaround pulley.

8. Apparatus for treating surfaces of an element as defined in claim 6 in which said endless belt is sequentially threaded around said tail pulley, around said second turnaround pulley, around said first turnaround pulley and then around said head pulley.

9. Apparatus for treating the surfaces of an element which comprises a first surface grinding machine, a second surface grinding machine spaced apart from said first machine, said first and second surface grinding machines being arranged so as to abrade one surface of an element being conveyed past said machines, a conveyor and turnover device positioned between said first and second surface grinding machines and being arranged so as to feed elements to said first surface grinding machine, to convey said elements from said first surface grinding machine to said second surface grinding machine while simultaneously inverting said elements, and to discharge said elements from said second surface grinding machine, said conveyor and turnover device comprising an endless flat conveyor belt, a tail pulley, a head pulley, a first turnaround pulley, and a second turnaround pulley, said tail pulley and said head pulley being positioned in parallel spaced relation to each other in substantially the same first horizontal plane, said turnaround pulleys being positioned between said tail pulley and said head pulley in parallel spaced relation to each other and in substantially the same second horizontal plane, said second horizontal plane being above said first horizontal plane, said first turnaround pulley being positioned adjacent said tail pulley, and said second turnaround pulley being positioned adjacent said head pulley, said first surface grinding machine being positioned between said first turnaround pulley and said tail pulley, and said second surface grinding machine being positioned between said second turnaround pulley and said head pulley, said endless conveyor belt having a top surface and a bottom surface, said endless conveyor belt being sequentially threaded around said tail pulley with said belt bottom surface abutting said tail pulley, around said second turnaround pulley with said belt bottom surface abutting said second turnaround pulley, around said first turnaround pulley with said belt bottom surface abutting said first turnaround pulley and around said head pulley with said belt bottom surface abutting said head pulley so that said endless conveyor belt reverses its direction or" travel between said second turnaround pulley and said first turnaround pulley, said belt having a first section between said first turnaround pulley and said second turnaround pulley rotating 180 about the longitudinal axis of said belt and a second section between said first turnaround pulley and said second turnaround pulley rotating 180" about the longitudinal axis of said belt, said first section top surface abutting said second section top surface to provide a portion of said belting operable to receive an element therebetween and invert said element as it is conveyed from said first turnaround pulley to said second turnaround pulley.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,947,406 Hazelton Aug. 2, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 818,684 Great Britain Aug. 19, 1959 

1. APPARATUS FOR TREATING SURFACES OF AN ELEMENT COMPRISING A FIRST SURFACE TREATING MACHINE, A SECOND SURFACE TREATING MACHINE SPACED APART FROM SAID FIRST SURFACE TREATING MACHINE, A CONVEYING DEVICE POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND SURFACE TREATING MACHINES, SAID CONVEYING DEVICE HAVING AN UPPER CONVEYING REACH AND A LOWER RETURN REACH AND BEING OPERABLE TO CONVEY ELEMENTS FROM SAID FIRST SURFACE TREATING MACHINE TO SAID SECOND SURFACE TREATING MACHINE AND TO INVERT SAID ELEMENTS SO THAT AN UNTREATED SURFACE IS POSITIONED FOR TREATMENT BY SAID SECOND SURFACE TREATING MACHINES, SAID FIRST AND SECOND SURFACE TREATING MACHINES EACH COMPRISING AN ABRASIVE ELEMENT POSITIONED ABOVE SAID UPPER CONVEYING REACH OF SAID CONVEYING DEVICE, SAID ABRASIVE ELEMENT AND SAID CONVEYING DEVICE BEING ARRANGED TO ABRADE A SURFACE OF AN ELEMENT POSITIONED BETWEEN SAID UPPER CONVEYING REACH AND SAID ABRASIVE ELEMENT, SAID CONVEYING DEVICE INCLUDING A FLAT ENDLESS CONVEYOR BELT, A HEAD PULLEY, A TAIL PULLEY AND A PAIR OF SPACED TURNAROUND PULLEYS, SAID ENDLESS CONVEYOR BELT BEING THREADED AROUND SAID RESPECTIVE PULLEYS TO FORM SAID UPPER CONVEYING REACH AND SAID LOWER RETURN REACH AND PROVIDING TWO ENGAGED SECTIONS BETWEEN SAID PAIR OF SPACED TURNAROUND PULLEYS, SAID ENGAGED SECTION OF SAID ENDLESS BELT MOVING IN THE SAME DIRECTION FROM SAID TAIL PULLEY TOWARD SAID HEAD PULLEY, SAID ENGAGED SECTIONS ROTATING 180* ABOUT THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID BELT AND SAID TWO ENGAGED SECTIONS BEING OPERABLE TO RECEIVE AN ELEMENT THEREBETWEEN AND INVERT SAID ELEMENT FOR TREATMENT OF AN UNTREATED SURFACE BY SAID SECOND SURFACE TREATING MACHINE. 